HARTFORD, Conn. — There has been a significant uptick in gun violence, not only here in the Capital city and around the state. Lawmakers came together Friday with local mothers and community members to demand change.
On the heels of shootings and deaths of a 3-year-old and a 16-year-old in Hartford, Senator Richard Blumenthal was joined by local advocates and community leaders and those who have lost loved ones to gun violence.
Tricia Salmon, a mother whose son was shot and killed in September 2020, was in attendance.
Throughout her testimony, Salmon emphasized the importance of children having safe places to go and interactive things to do, to keep them off the streets.
"I had to move out of a town that my son grew up 24-years in and was killed on the very same street that he used to walk to the corner store as a child. Salmon said. "There was no more outlet for my son to go play his ball."
Volunteers with the CT chapter of Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action, both part of every town for gun safety grassroots networks, virtually spoke with representatives from around the state asking them to pass common-sense action when it comes to preventing gun violence.
Senator Blumenthal says President Biden just announced $5 billion are being allocated to prevent gun violence.
However, local advocates say that's only a foundation, and not even close to what is necessary to make this violence go away.
"$5 billion is just a beginning down payment. I am going to take these stories and testimonies with me as evidence for more money in this federal legislation, " said Senator Blumenthal. "We need more money and when my colleagues say to me 'we need to cut back, we need a smaller package,' I am going to tell them - listen to these stories, see these faces."
The money is a start to help communities heal and bring resources to those who need it most, but community activists say much more will be needed to heal the wounds that flood our cities' streets.
Editor's note: The video below aired on March 23, 2021
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